Animal trap



March22, 1932. 11 PAIRO 1,850,634

ANIMAL TRAP Filed March 26, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l J. T. PAERO ANIMAL TRAP March 22, 1932;

1930 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 28,

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Patented Mar. 22, 1932 UN IT ED =S TIA T E S ioniv a'nnnm PAIRO, on GREENV'ILLE, non'rn CAROLINA ANIMAL TRAP Applicationfiled March 26',

This invention relates to traps especially designed for catching small animals such as rats or the like, the primary object of the invention being to provide a trapof this character that will be automatically set by the, animal passing into'the trap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trap having a trapping compartment and a retaining compartment arranged in such relation-with respect to each otherthat animals; may pass from the trapping compartment into the retaining compartment and held captive thereinuntil they can be killed or otherwise disposed of.

A still further object of the invention is to provide abait box havinga hinged closure which is closed by the animal passing into the trap, to prevent the animal from eating the bait, while held in captivity. I p

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the, details of' construction hereinafter de- 25 scribed. and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of whatis claimed, without departingfrom the spirit oftheinvention;

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan viewof a trap .constructed in accordance-with the invention.

Figure 2 is; afront elevational view of the trap.

Figure 3 is a rear end elevational view of the trap. s v V Figure 4 is alongitudi'nal sectional view through the trap.

Figure 5 is a sectional view takenzon line 5 of Figure 4;, V

V Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66ofFigure e t Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on line 74-7 o'fFigure 4. Q Referring to the drawings in detail, the trap comprises a body portion which in-. eludes an'elongated section 6 which, for the sake of convenienceis termed the trapping section, and a substantially large section 7 termed the retaining compartment.

7 spring 1930.. Serial No. 439,142.

At the forward end of the trapping section 6, are guides 8 in which the vertically sliding closure 9 operates, the closure 9 being provided with a lug '10 on its inner surface to be engaged by the sliding latch member or boltll supported within the casing 12 that is mounted on the upper surface of the trapping sectionfi, as clearly shown by Figure 4 of the drawings.

The upper edge of the lug 10 is beveled,- so that upon upward movement of the closure 9, the lug will ride over the end of the bolt 11 to be engaged by the bolt and held against movement, to the end that the sliding closure is held in an open position.

A spring 13 is connected with the sliding. bolt and acts to normally urge the bolt to its active position. The reference character I 14 designates a pivoted latch which is mounted on the top of the trapping section 6, the e latch 14having an upstanding ear 15 formed with an opening to accommodate one end of the link 16 which is also connected with the bolt 11 to move the bolt to its inactive position, when the latch 14 is moved in a manner 7 to behereinafter more fully described.

A shoulder 17 is forme'dat the free end of the latch 14, and is engaged by the spring arm'; 18 to normally hold the latch member 14 in a setposition, Connected with the;

arm 18, is a spring 19 which is anchored to the. post 20 to hold the arm 18 in balance and, exerta pressure against the shoulder 17.1

q Connectedwith the latch 14, is a rod 21 that has its lower end extended through an opening formed intermediate the ends of the bar 22 to which the rods 23 are connected,

the rods 23 being also connected with the treadle 24 pivotally supported adjacent to the baitbox 25, there being provided a coiled spring 26 directly under the treadle to normally urge the rods 23 upwardly'after the animal has passed over the treadle, to return the latch 14 to its set position.

Supported on the top of thetrapping section 6, is a post 27 to which the bar 28 is pivotally connected, thev bar 28 being of a length to extend from one, end of the trapping section .6, to the, other end thereof. The front the retaining section end of the bar 28 connects with the closure 9, through the medium of the link 29, so that movement of the bar 28 will result in a relative movement of the closure 9.

The bar 28 is also connected with the spring arm 18, through the medium of the rod 30 so that as. the bar 28 moves to a position to slide the closure 9 to-its open position, the arm 18 will move to engage the latch 14.

The reference character 31" desigiiates a treadle that is supported within the trapping section, there being provided rods 32 extended forwardly fromthe treadle andpiv otally connected with the body portion of the trap, at 33; Bods 34- are pivotally connected with the treadle 31 and extend upwardly where they connect with the bar 35 which is formed with an opening to accommodate the link 36-which is connected with the bar 28. Thus it will be seen that as the inner end-ofthetr'eadle 31 is forced downwardly, the" forward end of the bar28 moves upwardly carrying the closure 9 with it, resetting the trap; A weight 37 is adjustably supported on thebar 28 to counterbalance the bar and'insure an aecurate'operation of the A hinged closure 38 isoperated by means of the arms 39 that are connected with the rods 32 to the end that the closure 38 will be moved to its open position upondownward movement of the treadle 31 s'o-that the baitin the-box 25 will be in full view to entice animals into the trap.

Within the trapping section 6, is a boxlike member 39' that has an opening 10' at one side" thereof to permit animals to pass from'the-box-like member into the inner end of theit rapping section and onto the treadle 3l,'w'hich' normally rests in the dotted line position-as shown by Figure 4;

Pivoted rods-4r are supported within the box like member 39 and normally rest in inclined positions so that ananimal may pass under therods to enter the inner end ofthe trapping section,but will be prevented from returning into the front end of the trapping section.

The retaining section 7, which is substantially wide, is separated from the trapping section by means of the partition 42- which extends downwardly from the top of the trap, the lower end of the partitioning-member beingspaced from the bottom of the trap to'permit-an' animal to pass from the section 6' t-othe retaining section;

A box-like mem'ber 43 guards the opening, and provides a housing-for the pivoted rods 44 that are inclined in such a' way as to permitthe animals to pass thereunder to enter 7. Theserods will of course prevent the return of are animals to the; trapping section.

Anopening i's-formed in the end wall of the retaining section 7, and is normally closed by means of the closure 45, the opening providing means whereby the animals may be removed from the trap.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, the trap'is'of theeverset type, andthe trap will continue 'to' operate until it becomes filled with animals.

Inthe operation. of the device, an animal passing iiit'o' the" trap will stand on the treadle 24 in an effort to obtain the bait. The weight of the animal will cause the latch membe'n lh toibeipulied downwardly through the rods 23 and 21. This downward movement of the latch member 14 slides the bolt 11 inwardlyout'of engagement withthe' lug 10, allowing the weightto move thebar 28 and the closure 9 supported thereby, to a position to close'the front end of thetrap.

Simultaneously with the closing of the forwardend of the trap, the closure 38 moves to close the bait box 25. The treadle 31 is now in an elevated position, or in the-position showxrby Figure 40f the drawings, so that an animal passing through the trappingsection, will walk onto the treadle, the weight of the animalmoving the treadle" downwardly, resetting the trap.

I- claim:

1.' Inan animal trap, a body portion, a closure-for closing-one end ofthe body portion, abait box within the body portion, a normally open cover for the bait box, a treadle within the body portion, means connecting thet'readle and coverof the bait box to move the cover to its closed position when the treadle moves'upwardly, and means con trolled by the actiolrof the treadle for moving the closure to its open position when the treadle moves downwardly.

2 In 1ananimal trap, a: body portion including an elongated trappingsection and a substantially wide retaining section at: one end of the trapping section and in-communication with the t'rapping sectioma vertically sliding closure at the front end of the trapping section for closing thetrappingsection, a pivoted bar mounted above the trapping section and having'connec'tion with the sliding closure at one end of the bar, a treadle within the trapping section, rods extending upwardly from the treadle' and having connection with one end of-the bar, a sliding'holt,

means on the sliding closure and engagedby the sliding bolt to normally hold the sliding closure in its open position, a bait box, a pivoted treadleadjaxzenfl'to thebait box to be actuated by the weight of-theanii'nal', a rod connected Withthe last mentioned treadle, a latch member to which the rod is connected, a roct connecting thelatclr member and sliding bolt to move the sliding bolt to its inactive position when the last: mentioned treadle moves: downwardly, and means carconnecting the 'ried by the pivoted bar for engaging the latch member to reset the latch member and sliding closure, when the first mentioned treadle moves downwardly under the Weightof an animal passing through the trap.

3. In an animal trap, a body portion, a:

sliding closure for closing the front end of the body portion, a bar pivotally mounted above the body ortion, means for pivotally bar and closure, a pivoted treadle within the body portion, means for connecting the opposite end of the bar and treadle so that the treadle and bar move in unison, a sliding bolt on the body portion and adapted to engage the sliding closure to normally hold the closure in its open position, a pivoted latch member on'the body portion, a rod connecting the latch member and sliding bolt, said latch member having a notch at one end, a spring arm for engaging the notch to hold the latch member and sliding bolt in their active positions, a rod connecting the bar and spring arm to hold the spring arm in a position to be engaged by the latch member, a treadle Withinthe body portion, rods connecting the last mentioned treadle and latch member to draw the latch member downwardly under the Weight of an animal, to release the latch member and sliding bolt,

and means on the bar for urging the closure to its closed position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoingas my OWI1,I have hereto aflixed my'signature.

7 JOHN TALUM PAIRO. 

